Valve-controlling unit



July 27, 1926. 1,594,021 I l E. SMITH VALVE CONTROLLING UNIT Filed June 1 1926 M 4 Eli II/I/I/I/I/II/ I g L II I Fig.4

INVENTOR Ira E. SIni/lh BY QWQMJL'XL) ATTORN EY Patented July 27, 1926.

IRA. EDWARD'SMITH, OF STOCKTON, CALIFORNIA.

VALVE-CONTROLLING UNIT.

a nciaon filed June 1, 1925i Serial K unas.

This invention relates to valve controlling means and particularly to a device whose operation is controlled by electricity.

My device is especially intended for use in connection with oil burning systems of different kinds which include means for feeding the oil to the burner, and of course an oil pipe line for conveying the oil to said burner.

The volume or size of the fire depends on the amount of oil fed to the burner, and consequently to be able to adjust the fire, an ad ustable valve means of some kind must be placed in the oil feed line.

The principal object of my, invention therefore is to provide a device for the purpose Whose actuating member is adapted to be inserted in an electric circuit in connection with any suitable thermostat switch; and so constructed that when the heat of the fire causes a certain room or furnace temperature to be reached, the valve will be. automatically and partly closed, and the volume of the fire lessened, until the heat drops below a certain point. The valve then is again automatically opened wide.

Another object of my invention is to provide means for continually rotating the closure member of the valve, independent of its opening and'closing movement, so as to prevent the valve opening from being clogged up.

A further object is to provide a simple mechanism for enabling the extent of opening or closing of the valve, with a constant movement of the actuating means, to be adjusted at will, so that the oil feeding may be regulated to suit different conditions.

Still a further object is to provide a unit for the purpose which stalled in any oil burner system, no matter what type, without making any alterations thereto.

A further object of the invention is to produce a simple and inexpensive device and yet one which will be exceedingly effective for the purpose for which it is designed.

..These objects I accomplish by means of such structure and relative arrangement of parts as will fully. appear '1) a perusal of following specification.and c s.

In the drawings similar characters of referencjeindicate corresponding parts in'the several views:

.screws 12 of the arm may may be readily in Fig. 1 is a side view of my valve controlling unit partly in section.

Fig. 2 is across section substantially on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the device.

Fig. 4 is a circuit diagram showing the installation of my unit in connection with an oil burning system.

Referring now more particularly to the characters of reference on the drawings, the 4 numeral 1 denotes a needle valve of ordinary character, having union connections 2 on its opposite ends whereby it may be readily inserted in and connected to the main oil feed ipe 3. The stem d of the controlling nee le 4 of the valve is slidable and turnable in a relatively long stuffing box 5 provided in connection with the valve.

The stem is journaled in and projects through a casing 6 mounted a short distance from 'the valve. A thrust bearing 7 on the stem between the valve and the casing bears against the latter, and a compression spring 8 on the stem between said bearing and a collar 9 on the stem acts to force the latter toward the valve or to a closing position. I

To attach the valve securely to the casing, arms 10 project from the latter parallel to the stem, being secured to cars 11 on the valve. These arms are removably secured to the casing and the latter has oppositely alined sets of orifices in which the holding be placed, so that the position of the longitudinal axis of the valve relative to the casing may be altered if desired. In other words if the casing is mounted in a vertical position the axis of the valve and consequently that of the pipe 3, may extend either vertically or horizontally without of course afit'ecting the operation of the valve.

Mounted in the casing is a worm gear 13, through which the stem. 4 is slidable, the gear however being mounted in a fixed position in the casing. The gear is held in driving relation with the stem by suitable means,

such as a radial pin 14 in the stem, which projects into a'longitudinal slot 15 in the hub of the gear. Meshing with the gear is a worm 16-fixed on the shaft of a small electric motor 17,

Projecting up from the casing 6 is a bracket 19 which supports an electromagnet 20. This magnet has an armature 21 associated therewith, whose support 22 is pivotally mounted in connection with the magnet below the same.

Pivotally mounted on the support 22 independent of and to one side of its pivotal connection with the magnet is an arm 23, which depends therefrom and straddles the stem 4 on the opposite side of the casing 6 from the valve. On the stem outwardly of the arm is a thrust bearing 24 against which the arm bears, and an adjusting screw 25 is mounted on the stem beyond the bear- The support 22 has a lug 26 depending therefrom which is engaged by an adjusting screw 27 threaded through the arm 23. other adjusting screw 28 is mounted in said arm below the screw 27 and is adapted to abut against a fixed block 29 whic is preferably formed as a part of the casing 6. The entire structure is supported on a base 6 formed with the casing 6.

It will therefore be seen that when the magnet is deenergized the arm 23 moves toward the casing 6, until the screw 28 abuts against the. lug 29. movement is determined by the setting of the screw 28, as will be evident. Owing to the spring 8, the stem 4 follows up the movement of the arm 23, causing the stem to move toward a valve closing position. The distance which the stem will thus move is of course governed by the setting of the arm 23 when the screw 28 in the latter is abutted against the lug 29 as above described. This valve is not the main shut off valve in the pipe line, and in practice, the valve 1 will never be actually closed.

Now when the magnet is energized the armature 21 is pulled theretoward, causing the arm 23 to press against the bearing 24, and draw the stem 4 outwardly of the valve, overcoming the pressure of the spring 8.

By adjusting the screw 27 one way or the other, it will be seen that the armature 21 can be moved to be set at different distances from the magnet when the latter is deenergized. Thus when the magnet is energized, said armature may have a different distance to travel before engaging the magnet, and hence the arm 23 moves through a corresponding distance, with a like effect on the stem 4.

This controls the extent of opening movement of the valve, and it will be seen that the valve opening adjustment, by means of the screw 27, is entirely independent from and has no effect on the valve closing ad'ustment which is had by manipulation o the adjusting screw 28. and vice versa.

he amount of oil allowed to pass through The extent of such the pipe when the magnet is energized or deener lzed, may thus be independently and closeTy regulated.

It will also be seen the adjustment or longitudinal movement of the valve stem, the latter will be continuous] rotated by the motor 17, undue friction being avoided with such longitudinal movement by reason of the thrust bearings 7 and 24, which are preferably of the ball or antifriction type.

Referring to Fig. 4 the valve controlling magnet is preferably connected to the main lines A supplying the main burner motor 30 by two independent circuits. One circuit B directly connects the motor 17 with the line A. The circuit C from the main line to the magnet 20 has one or more thermostat switches 31 interposed therein in series. Such switches, one of which would be located adjacent the furnace and the other in-a room being heated, are preferably of the tiltable mercury-tube ty e, such as can be purchased in the open mar lret, though other types could be used.

These switches remain closed until the furnace or room attains a certain temperature when they automatically open.

It will therefore .be seen'that as long as the temperature is relatively low, and the switches 31 are closed, the circuit to the magnet Will be closed, and the valve 1 will be maintained wide open, allowing such a volume of oil to be fed to the burner as will cause a hot fire to be made. When the heat attained is such that the switches 31 open, the circuit to the magnet is broken. The armature 21 drops away from the magnet, causing the valve stem to move toward a closing position as previously described, and reducing the amount of oil fed to the'fire to whatever low limit is desired, depending upon the adjustment of the screw 28.

When the small fire thus produced allows the cooling off of the room or furnace sufficient to cause the thermostat switches to be again closed, the valve is again opened to admit a large flow of oil through the pipe 3, and so on indefinitely.

While I have shown and described an electric motor as being the source of energy for the oil burner itself, the presence or absence of such motor does not in any way affect the operation of my valve controlling unit, as will be evident, since the electrical connections to said unit are entirely independent of such oil burner motor. The oil burner itself therefore ma be driven or operated by a water motor, by steam power, or in any other suitable manner, without in the least changing the operation of my valve controlling unit.

It is to be noted that by reason of the valve stem being continuously rotated, it is much easier for the solenoid and spring that irrespective of means to move said stem longitudinall than would otherwise be the case, as all tend ency for the stem to stick in any position is eliminated. This feature also enables a long stufiing box to be used, and the packing to be maintained snug, without the stem binding.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that I have produced such a device as substantially fulfills the objects of the invention as set forth herein.

While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferred construction of the device, still in practice such deviations from such detail may be resorted to as do not form a de arture from the spirit of the invention, as efined by the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and useful and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1'. A valve controlling structure including a valve, the closure member of said valve being turnably and slidably mounted therein, electrically operated means for continually rotatin the member, and independently contro led electrical means for sliding said member to control its valve opening and closing positions.

2. A valve controlling structure including a valve, a closure member therefor slidably mounted therein, an electromagnet, supported in a fixed position relative to the valve, an armature for said magnet, means 0 eratively connecting said armature to the c osure member to cause the same to be slid lengthwise with the energizing of the magnet, means acting to move said member in the opposite direction when the magnet is deenergized, and power means operatively connected to the closure member to rotate the same.

3. A valve controlling structure including a valve, a closure member for the latter slidably mounted therein, an .electro-magnet supported in a fixed position relative to the valve, an armature for said magnet pivotally mounted in connection with the mag-' net, an arm connected to the armature and engaging the closure member in a manner to cause the latter to be moved lengthwise when the armature moves toward the magnet with the energizing of the same, means moving the closure member in the opposite direction when the magnet is deenergized, adjusting means limiting the extent to which the first named means may thus move the closure member, and independent adjustment means limiting the extent of movunent of the closure member in the o posite direction with the-energizing of t e magnet.

4. A valve controlling-structure including a valve, a closure member therefor slidably mounted therein, an electro-magnet supported in a fixed position relative to the valve, an armature for said magnet pivotally mounted in connection with the magnet, an arm connected to the armature and engaging the closure member in a manner to cause the latter to be moved lengthwise when the armature moves toward the magnet with the energizing of the same, means moving the closure member in the opposite direction when the magnet is deenergized, adjusting means applied to the arm for limiting the extent to which said first named means may move the closure member, and independent adjustment means also applied to the arm for limiting the extent of movement of the closure member in the opposite direction with the energizing of the magnet.

5. A valve controlling structure including a valve, a closure member therefor slidably mounted therein, an electro-magnet supported in a fixed position relative to the valve, an armature for said magnet, pivotally mounted in connection therewith, an arm connected to the armature and engaging the closure member in a manner to cause the latter to be moved lengthwise when the armture moves toward the magnet with the energizing of the same, spring means moving the closure member in the opposite direction when the magnet is deenergized, adjustable stop means between the arm and the magnet support arranged to limit the distance the arm may move in one direction when the spring is drawing the closure member in the same direction, and independent adjustment means between the arm and the armature arranged to enable the distance of the armature from the magnet when the latter is deenergized to be altered at will.

6. A valve controlling structure including a valve, the closure member of said valve being turnably and slidaby mounted therein, an electric'motor adjacent the valve for controlling the rotation of the closure member, and supporting means in common for the motor and valve, whereby to form a compact unit.

In testimony whereof I affix my slgnature.

IRA EDWARD SMITH. 

